THE TRAUMA OF POLITICS TAKES A TURN

Abraham Lincoln stated: "The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew." Yes in time, when we left with the Morrisson reign in City Hall, there was a need to think anew and act anew". In that era we would see the rise of Maurice "Moon" Landrieu. Many citizens saw that need and in the election of 1970 he was elected by a vote of 90% of the black vote and 39% of the white vote in the primary. It is, in my opinion, wrong to analyze election based on issues of race but it is a fact of life, even today. In the general election against a Republican, he received 99% of the black vote. However, there is no doubt that he rewarded the electorate with various positions. In fact by the time of his second term a substantial change had been made in the employees in City Hall and the question was asked whether these employees and those in other higher positions were properly qualified. The end does not justify the means. Yes it was time to think anew and act anew but it had to be done with reason. It was during his tenure that there was a major attempt to improve the tourism in this city, a factor that the Landrieu younger generation still adheres to even today. The major problem was that there should have been a greater attempt to attract major businesses into the area. Slowly the city began to sink during the 1970's as more and more citizens fled to the suburbs as the city schools began a drastic slide, and as hatred began to show its face in many, many ways. One of the major problems was the issues of schools and the failure of the system to educate even then. Yes time had brought about change but the change was not suitably handled by those who were in charge. The change could have been smooth if there were open employment practices and the best qualified, regardless of ancestry, would have been chosen to be part of the government of the city. During his tenure many scurrilous remarks were made about his heritage, etc. None of which were well founded and were based on the claims of racists only. Yes the new was there but there was no thought given as to how to handle and promote the new. This was unfortunate. This to me was the major flaw in Landrieu's administration and it further added to the turmoil that would follow in years to come.